Modern Marvels
by ReluctantSlashFan
Summary: The five knights who adapt to the future quite well and the one clotpole who stubbornly refuses to accept help from anyone.
1. Lancelot

**For those of you who follow Protecting The Protector, you know that I welcome any prompts you want to see me try and write. Well, someone (and I am so sorry I cannot remember who) asked for a resurrection chapter. Well, I decided to turn that chapter into a fic. So, I'm bringing the knights (and ultimately Arthur) back one chapter at a time**

**So, yeah. Enjoy, thanks for reading, and I will see you in the next chapter.**

**I don't own 'em and drop me a comment if you can.**

**Bye!**

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><p>Lancelot is the first one to come back.<p>

It's a cold and rainy day in September, and Merlin had debated whether or not to don the Dragoon disguise and make the long trip to the lake, but he figures it can't hurt. Besides, he's been making the trip for over a century, in all kinds of weather; he doubts a little rain is going to do much damage.

He brings an umbrella, his magic sometimes shorting out if it's exposed to too much water, and shoulders his bag. Making sure he hasn't forgotten anything, he locks the door behind him and begins the long, long walk. Rain pounds against the umbrella, but it still does little to stave off the worst of the water, and he's soaked by the time he reaches the lake.

Merlin paces the edge of the water for a while, swinging his bag back and forth. He shivering by the time he stops pacing, taking a seat on the edge of a rock, looking out at the lake. He figures he can wait another few minutes before going home, trying to push down the ever present disappointment bubbling up in his chest. After a century, you'd think he'd get used to nothing happening.

Eventually, he stands, readying himself for the long walk home, but stops when he sees the water bubble. He drops his bag and umbrella, his heart in his throat, and races to the edge of the lake. He tries to rationalize what he saw, figuring it had to be a fish or something, but when it bubbles again he can hardly contain his excitement. After all these years, he's finally going to see Arthur again.

The lake bubbles a third time before a figure starts to emerge. Merlin is practically shaking, his eyes stinging with unshed tears, and even when the figure proves to be Lancelot and _not_ Arthur he can't stop himself from racing towards his friend and embracing him.

"I've missed you," Merlin says softly, clinging to Lancelot.

"And I you."

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><p>Lancelot spends his first few weeks trying to figure out what happened to everyone. Merlin tells him everything he knows, but his knowledge extends to history books and rumors he heard while travelling. After Arthur's death, Merlin couldn't bring himself to return to Camelot, and he'd kind of cut off all ties to his old life. Even Gwen and Gaius, who had made it a point to write him as often as they could, eventually stopped trying to correspond with him when their letters continued to go unanswered. Sometimes he wishes he could go back and change that part of his life, get back in touch with his friends, let them know he's okay, but he learned a long time ago that he cannot change the past.<p>

After he cannot possibly research anymore, Lancelot decides to venture out into the world. Merlin goes with him, as himself and _not_ Dragoon, and they end up visiting every museum in England. Lancelot enjoys the art museums while Merlin favors the science ones, and it seems like no time has passed between them despite the fact that it's been over a century since they've seen each other.

Lancelot eventually gets a job working in a bookshop, saying he doesn't feel right not pulling his weight, and there he meets a girl named Penny. She looks a lot like Gwen, something that throws Merlin for a moment, but he figures she must be a distant relative or something. It's bound to happen.

He gets so used to having Lancelot around that, for a while, Merlin forgets what it feels like to be lonely, but he still misses Arthur. He still makes the long trip to the lake, and, when he's not working, Lancelot will go with him. He still waits for Arthur's return, knows in his heart that he will see his friend again.

"Ready to go, Merlin?" Lancelot asks and he looks up, glancing back at his friend. Lance is leaning against a tree, a Tablet sitting in his lap. He had been reading a book, something from last century, and he doesn't look like he's in any hurry to go home.

Merlin looks back at the lake and says, "In a minute."

"Alright."

They fall silent, Lancelot continuing his reading while Merlin leans back on his palms, watching the water. It's calm, peaceful even, and for a moment Merlin wishes he could draw; wishes he had remembered to bring his phone so he can take a picture. He wants to document this moment, preserve it so he can remember it forever.

He sits up suddenly when the water bubbles. He glances back at Lancelot, the other man already pushing himself to his feet, eyeing the water cautiously. Together, they slowly creep towards the edge of the lake, the former knight moving to stand in front of the warlock.

"It could just be a fish," Merlin says quietly.

"Maybe." Lancelot doesn't sound convinced, and for a moment Merlin can almost see him in his armor, holding a sword, willing to protect his friend with his life.

The water bubbles a second time, and, like before, a figure emerges. It takes a moment for the person to come into view, but when he does Merlin can't help grinning, especially when the knight says, "Where can a bloke get a drink around here?"

Gwaine is the second one to come back.


	2. Gwaine

**Hey! So, here's a new chapter.**

**I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited last chapter. I'm glad to see a lot of my regular readers reading this along with some new ones, and I hope y'all enjoy this chapter.**

**I don't own anyone, have a great day, and drop me a comment if you can.**

**See ya in the next chapter.**

**Bye!**

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><p>Gwaine absolutely loves the future. He spends his first week back going clothes shopping at a local thrift store, coming home with several pairs of jeans, a couple of plain t-shirts, a pair of ratty Doc Martens and a brown leather jacket with a faux-fur collar. Lancelot rolls his eyes every time Gwaine comes home with something new to add to his wardrobe, but Merlin merely gives him a fond smile. He likes that his friends are adapting well to this new time period. It's during his second week that Gwaine finds out there are pubs on nearly every street corner.<p>

"So, I can go to whatever pub I want?" the former knight asks, tying his long hair back into a loose ponytail. "And I don't have to take a horse through several miles of woods to get there?"

"That's correct." Merlin nods, holding out Gwaine's jacket.

"Let's go," he says snatching the jacket from the warlock. Lancelot opts out, already having plans with Penny, but Merlin decides to go; never really having the inclination to go before his friend's return. They start off at a small, hole-in-the-wall place that smells like cheap beer and body odor.

Gwaine breaths in deeply and says, "I like this place."

"Sure." Merlin gives him a skeptical look, wrinkling his nose, but still follows the knight to the back of the pub. They commandeer an empty booth, sitting across from one another, and Gwaine leans over the table and asks, "What's that thing?"

"What?"

"That." Gwaine points at something over Merlin's shoulder, and the warlock follows his finger, his eyes falling on the jukebox sitting in the corner.

"That's a jukebox," Merlin replies looking back at his friend. When the former knight gives him a confused look, he explains, "It plays music."

"Like a bard?"

"Sort of." Merlin fishes around in his pocket, pulling out some pocket change, and hands it over to Gwaine. "Go pick a song, I'll order us a couple of pints."

"Alright." Gwaine gets up, wandering over to the jukebox. A waitress approaches their table a few moments later, and Merlin orders a couple of beers. She looks vaguely familiar, like a face from his past, but he can't quite remember who she reminds him of.

"Coming right up," she says walking away, her blond ponytail swinging back and forth with the motion of her body. Merlin leans back in his seat, knocking his knuckles against the table.

Gwaine returns to the booth, sliding into his seat, and says, "Music sure has changed."

"A lot has changed," Merlin reminds his friend just as their waitress comes back.

"Here you are." She puts one pint down, but she accidentally knocks the second over, spilling its contents all over the table. "Crap." She puts a hand to her forehead and says, "I am so sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Gwaine winks at her, flashing a carefree smile, and her cheeks flush red. "It happens."

"Yeah, but it seems to happen to me more than anyone," she states miserably, using her rag to quickly clean up the mess. "I am such a klutz."

Once the mess is cleared, she promises to bring another pint and disappears into the crowd. As Merlin watches her go it clicks where he recognizes her from.

"Elena," he whispers just as a Nicki Minaj song starts playing.

"Is this the song I picked?" Gwaine bobs his head to the music. "I like it."

They have two drinks before they move onto the next pub, Gwaine leaving with the waitress's number in his pocket (her name is Mary). They do a pub crawl, jumping from one bar to the next, and before they know it it's three A.M. and Merlin is standing on the curb, trying to hail a taxi.

"Can't you just magic us home?" Gwaine asks leaning against a post box, clearly trying to keep himself upright. "Or, hey, what about that fancy phone thing? Can't you use that to call Lance?"

"My magic doesn't work well when I'm drunk," Merlin explains, or tries to, but he has a feeling everything comes out as a mess of slurred words spoken too quickly, especially when Gwaine gives him a confused look. "And Lancelot isn't home."

"I guess regular intercourse will do that to ya," Gwaine comments and Merlin feels his face turn red. "Though, I'm surprise Mr. Chivalrous is even sticking it into that Penny girl. You'd think he'd get married first or something."

Merlin's ears are burning now and he's keeping his eyes downcast. He had forgotten how unfiltered Gwaine's words could be, and now he's being reminded in excruciating detail. But, at the same time, he's too drunk to tell his friend to stop, so Gwaine keeps talking.

"Do you think he uses dirty talk? I'd use dirty talk."

"Were you on the internet again?" Gwaine loves the internet more than is probably healthy, and Merlin hopes his friend never, ever discovers porn. He has a feeling Gwaine will never get off the computer.

"There's not much to do at four in the morning, Mer. Last night I read about sexting. Can I borrow your phone so I can sext Mary?"

"Sexting isn't what you think it is, Gwaine," Merlin says waving his hand, but the cabbie drives past without a second glance, and he sighs in irritation.

"It's sending messages via the phone," Gwaine says shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, I might not be Lancelot, who reads all the damn time, but I can read, mate."

"I know, and you're mostly right. You meant texting, Gwaine." Finally, a taxi driver stops for them, parking against the curb.

"Then what's sexting?"

Merlin almost doesn't tell him, but when he does Gwaine gets this mischievous grin on his face and the warlock instantly regrets his decision. He also doesn't see his cell phone for a week, and Lancelot has to change his number six times.

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><p>Mary gets Gwaine a job at the same pub she works at, so Merlin finds himself spending a lot of time by himself again. He knows he should probably get another job or something (working five hours at a retail store is just not enough of a distraction), get out of the house, but every time he starts looking in the newspaper he hardly gets through the first sentence before he makes the long walk to the lake.<p>

It's been quiet for a little over six months, no one else has come back, and for a while it seems like Gwaine and Lancelot would be the only ones. It's not so bad, he loves having his friends around, but he longs to see Arthur again.

He sits up suddenly, the water bubbling like the last two times. He scrambles to his knees, watching as a new figure emerges from the lake. He doesn't expect it to be Arthur, and Merlin isn't wrong. While the figure is blond, he's not Arthur Pendragon.

Leon is the third to come back.


	3. Leon

**Hey all! So, thanks a lot to those who reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited last chapter. I'm so glad you are enjoying this, and thanks for reading.**

**Drop me a comment if you can and I'll see you in the next chapter.**

**I still don't own 'em**

**Bye!**

* * *

><p>It takes a bit for Leon to adjust to the future. He doesn't like the fashion, he doesn't like how open people are with their vocabulary (and even went as far as to tell a man to watch his tongue around a couple of women on the train), and he doesn't like that everything seems brighter somehow; less authentic. Merlin has tried talking to him about it, but Leon is mad at him, passive aggressively so, but mad nonetheless.<p>

When he eventually does come around, after a long talk with Merlin, where they spend hours discussing why the warlock had never gotten in touch, Leon lets the others show him the future. When he actually allows himself to open up, to be a part of society, he learns it's not so bad. Leon still doesn't have any hobbies, he doesn't quite know what he wants to do with his life, but he's trying and that's all that matters.

"Where did you get that sweater?" Gwaine asks from the sofa, wrinkling his noise at the striped shirt Leon wears.

The blond pulls at the material and says, "I like it."

"Of course _you_ would." Gwaine shakes his head. "You'd wear a burlap sack if you could find one."

"What's wrong with it?" Leon asks curiously, fiddling with one of the sleeves.

"The same thing that's wrong with everything you wear. You look like you've walked out of a 1970's catalog. What next? Fringe?"

"I think he looks handsome," Penny says coming into the living room, carrying a bowl of popcorn. Lancelot follows her, his hands full of soda. "You can wear whatever you want, Leon."

"Th-thank you," Leon stammers avoiding eye contact with her. Her likeliness to Gwen threw him more than anyone else; something that had Penny convinced he hated her, but they really couldn't explain to her that she looked like a friend they had over a century ago without Penny thinking they were crazy.

"So, what are we watching?" Lancelot asks sitting on the sofa next to Gwaine. Penny sits next to him, handing Gwaine the popcorn.

"Leon chose," Merlin replies sitting in the recliner after putting the movie into the BluRay player, grabbing the remote from the arm of the sofa. Gwaine groans, throwing his head back, rolling his eyes. Leon punches his arm as he sinks to the floor, leaning against Merlin's chair, his shoulder pressing into the warlock's leg.

"The man at the movie rental place recommended Black Swan," Leon answers as Merlin presses play. "He said it was about dancing."

"Have you ever actually seen Black Swan?" Penny asks Leon, and he shakes his head. "Has any of you seen Black Swan?" When she receives three negatives answers, she sighs and says, "This should be interesting."

All in all, the movie is pretty good, but the scene between two of the actresses catches Lancelot and Leon by surprise. Merlin and Penny exchange an exasperated look, and it feels like old times (when he and Gwen used to be best friends).

"Are they…?" Leon starts looking at each of his friends. "What are they…?"

"I only heard about this happening," Lancelot breaths not having seen an actual, same sex couple since coming back.

"I think it's brilliant," Gwaine announces watching the screen. "Figure, if two blokes are free to kiss in public, you're probably gonna see it in movies, too."

"When did you see two men kissing?" Lancelot asks turning his attention to Gwaine.

"Last week," he replies shrugging. "They were saying goodbye out front of The Underground." He shrugs again, looking at everyone. "I thought you knew."

"We did," Penny and Merlin say together.

"And it's allowed?" Leon asks carefully. "You can't be executed for courting a man if you are a man?"

"Men even dress like women," Gwaine states keeping his eyes on the screen. "It's a new world, my friend."

After their talk, Leon becomes fascinated with the LGBTQA community. He starts going to rallies and making friends with a few of the participants; he even spends all of his free time volunteering in the community. Through his volunteer work, he becomes very good friends with a man named Luke (who reminds Merlin a lot of Will) and with Luke's help, he realizes sex just isn't for him; something that both disappoints and fascinates Gwaine.

"So, what's it called again?" Gwaine asks one day over breakfast.

"Asexuality," Leon answers without looking up from his laptop. "Luke gave me a few websites to look through so I can learn more about it. All of my research is helping me understand why I've never been into coitus, why I never wanted to talk about it before. It's nice to know there's a word for people like me."

"As long as you're happy." Gwaine raises his glass to Leon and lets the subject drop.

Leon has found his niche in the future, something that pleases Merlin greatly. He wants his friends to feel like they belong, to become who they are supposed to be and not what society expects them to be, but most of all he wants his friends to be happy.

**Merlin**

Merlin doesn't plan on visiting the lake on Sunday (almost two months since Leon's return), but he has some free time so he makes the trip. He brings along Lancelot's Tablet, wanting to get caught up on the book series he has been reading for the past few weeks, but barely gets a chapter read before the water is bubbling.

It takes a bit, but when the knight appears, giving his surroundings a wary look, Merlin drags himself to his feet and slowly approaches the other man. He offers him a smile and asks, "You alright?"

The knight jumps when he hears a horn honk. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to the future," Merlin answers after a beat, giving the knight a sheepish grin.

Percival is the fourth to come back.


	4. Percival

**I'm sorry I've been lazy lately. That's the only excuse I have for why this took forever for me to update. I haven't wanted to write for Merlin (so I guess I haven't been lazy, lazy ((I have been writing for other stuff)), but I have been a little lazy). Anyway, I will try to have the next chapter updated a bit earlier than this one.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. Thank you for reviewing, alerting, and/or favoriting last chapter. And remember I don't own anyone.**

**Drop me a comment if you get the chance and see ya in the next chapter.**

**BYE!**

**P.S. A new chapter of PTP is coming please be patient.**

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><p>Sometimes Merlin forgets that Percival had been Lancelot's friend <em>before<em> they became knights, but he's reminded fairly quickly when the taller man embraces Lancelot the moment he sees him, the smaller former knight returning the hug. After they part, Percival grabs Gwaine by the scruff of the neck and yanks him from the recliner he lounged in, swaddling him in a hug so fierce, Merlin could feel his own bones cracking.

"Can't… breathe," Gwaine gasps, trying and failing to push Percival away.

"Sorry, sorry," Percival apologizes letting Gwaine go, taking a step back to examine his friend. "You're really alright?" He looks worried, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears, and he whispers, "I watched you die."

"You did," Gwaine answers smiling weakly. He spreads his arms out, turning in a circle, and says, "But now I'm here, alive, and I'm much too pretty to die a second time."

Percival laughs, sniffing wetly, and lightly punches Gwaine's arm. "You're not funny."

"I am hilarious," Gwaine drawls with a smirk, returning to his chair. "Now, sit your ass down and let me fill you in on what's been going on."

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><p>It's not long before Percival adapts fairly well to the future. He gets really into art, spending a majority of his free time sketching in a battered notebook he bought at a secondhand store. He gets a job at an art supplies store, working alongside some struggling artist named Dane (or Gilli as Merlin liked to call him). Sometimes he'll also help Leon volunteer, finding the idea of different sexualities fascinating.<p>

One night, about two months after his return, Gwaine, Lancelot, and Leon go out (Merlin staying home because he has an early shift in the morning), and only are actually asleep in the house when Merlin gets up the next day. He doesn't dwell too much on the fact that Gwaine isn't home, he had the habit of staying over at so-and-so's house (ever since he and Mary called it quits, Gwaine's decided he doesn't want to settle on anyone), but Merlin can't help feeling a little worried about Percival. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to the bigger man.

He gets home from work, expecting to have to phone the police, but Percival is back, sitting at the kitchen table, eating a piece of pie. When Merlin sits across from him, he smiles and says, "Food tastes different now; better."

"Yeah, it's one of the perks of the future," Merlin replies returning the smile. "So, did you have fun last night?"

"Gwaine took me to a club where women remove their clothing," Percival explains shoveling more pie into his mouth. "I don't quite understand the fun in it, but Gwaine assures me men today spend hours in places like that."

"I don't either," Merlin admits softly. "He took me to the same place a few months ago, and I just…" he trails off, shrugging.

"Exactly." Percival finishes his pie, carrying his plate to the sink. He turns to face Merlin, giving him a long look before asking, "How are you?"

"Me? Fine. Why?"

"You seem different," Percival states with a pensive look on his face. "It can't have been easy, living while everyone you knew died."

"It wasn't," Merlin whispers looking down at the table.

The bigger man crosses the room slowly, clapping the warlock on the back, and says, "I am sorry you had to go through that."

"It doesn't matter now," the warlock starts, getting to his feet, forcing a smile on his face. "You're here now."

"We are." Percival takes a step forward, his arms partially raised. "Do you need a hug?"

"Uh, no." Merlin shakes his head, but adds, "But thanks for the offer."

The bigger man drops his arms, shrugging, and says, "Anytime."

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><p>It's the middle of December, a light dusting of snow littering the ground, when Merlin decides to go to the lake. He bundles up, trying to sneak out before his friends see him, but Gwaine catches him and offers to go with, his jacket and boots on <em>way<em> before Merlin can tell him not to worry about it.

Together, the two men walk to the lake in silence, but eventually Gwaine carefully asks, "You hoping Arthur comes back this time?"

Merlin shrugs, chewing on his lip. "Maybe."

"And if he doesn't? You can't keep coming here, Merlin. I'm surprised your frequent visits didn't drive you mad."

"I'm fine," the warlock states and speeds up ignoring Gwaine when he calls his name. His friend doesn't understand how badly Merlin needs to see Arthur. There's so many things left unsaid between them, so many things he has to apologize for, so many things he needs to explain.

Kilgharrah's parting words come back to him, about how Arthur would return when Albion needed him the most, but when would that be exactly? What evil lurks in the shadows, waiting to strike? And will Arthur even _want_ to return? These are the questions that plague Merlin late at night, and he hates that they live him feeling scared and useless with each passing day.

When he and Gwaine get to the lake, they are greeted by a man standing alone, looking around like he's lost. It takes a few seconds, Merlin too engrossed in his own self-doubts to make the connection, but he eventually realizes who is standing by the lake.

"Holy hell," Gwaine whispers causing the figure to turn towards them.

Elyan is the fifth knight to come back.


End file.
